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In federal court Thursday, a prosecutor said the charge against Ryan Loskarn involved "a crime of violence against a minor." Defense lawyers wanted bail to be set Thursday, seeking to have Loskarn released from custody, but the magistrate judge delayed the detention hearing until Monday morning to give prosecutors time to prepare.

Loskarn was a rising star who had spent the past decade working his way up to increasingly important posts in the U.S. House and then the Senate.

He is accused of possessing child pornography videos, and offering one for distribution on a peer-to-peer network.

Sen.'s Chief of Staff Arrested on Child Porn Charges

Sen. Lamar Alexander's former chief of staff is out of work after his arrest on child pornography charges. News4's Chris Gordon reports. (Published Wednesday, Dec 11, 2013)

Loskarn was led from his southeast D.C. home Wednesday by U.S. Postal Inspector police, who put him in a black SUV. Loskarn appeared to be in handcuffs, although a coat was draped over his arms.

Court documents say that when postal inspectors went to his D.C. home Wednesday, Loskarn declined to open the door, and they eventually forced their way in. An officer standing at the back of the house said he saw Loskarn place a portable computer hard drive on the outside ledge of an upper floor window of the house, then close the window.

RAW: Sen.'s Aide Escorted From SE D.C. Home

Ryan Loskarn, chief of staff for Sen. Lamar Alexander, is led from a home raided Wednesday morning in a child pornography investigation. (Published Wednesday, Dec 11, 2013)

The case began with a joint investigation by U.S. and Canadian officials into a production company that offered sexually explicit videos of children. Loskarn was one of the company's customers, investigators say.

Alexander, R-Tenn., said in a news release Wednesday he was "stunned, surprised and disappointed" by the allegations against his newly departed staffer.

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, another Tennessee Republican for whom Loskarn had worked as communications director, said she was "shocked, saddened and stunned."

Alexander had initially placed Loskarn on unpaid leave Wednesday morning, but before the end of the day he had replaced Loskarn with David Cleary, the senator's legislative director.

Alexander said in a statement that it will be up to the courts to judge Loskarn, but "under these circumstances, he cannot continue to fulfill his duties as chief of staff."

According to Loskarn's biography on his LinkedIn account and in previous communications for Alexander's office, Loskarn graduated from Tulane University in 2000 and went to work for retired Republican U.S. Rep. Wally Herger of California as a legal assistant.

He later was the communications director for Blackburn and eventually became staff director for the Senate Republican Conference.

Loskarn had served as Alexander's chief of staff for two years.

Alexander is a former Tennessee governor who also has served as the U.S. Secretary of Education. He was first elected to the Senate in 2002 and is up for re-election in 2014. He said his office is fully cooperating with the investigation.